MLB Bold Predictions: 5 Managers You Won't See in 2012

Baseball has never been tighter heading into the second half. All six divisions will be a dogfight to the end. With the July 31st trade deadline approaching many teams are at a make or break point. 

This year many managers have brought their teams out of obscurity while a some just aren't getting the job done. Some of these managers are victims of circumstance while a couple of them are responsible for their ultimate fate. Regardless, they won't be wearing the same uniform in 2012. 

The following managers won't get it done down the stretch and will receive a pink slip at the end of the season. 

Oakland Athletics: Bob Melvin

Bob Melvin took over as interim manager of the Oakland Athletics spelling Bob Geren on June 9. The Oakland A's are just 12-16 under Melvin. This includes a six-game winning streak.

The problem with the Athletics is run production. The team is near the bottom of seemingly every offensive category. In 92 games this season the team has only plated 315 runs. The highest batting average among everyday players is CoCo Crisp at .267, which is mediocre at best. The teams OBP is a wretched .299.

To this point Bob Melvin has no cures for what ails the Oakland Athletics. Don't expect Melvin to return in 2012.  

Houston Astros: Brad Mills

The Houston Astros behind manager Brad Mills are the worst team in baseball.

At 30-62 the team is in a continuous downward spiral and has lost nine of the last 10.

The Astros have some of the worst pitching in all of baseball.They are among the bottom five teams in ERA, saves, hits, runs allowed, home runs allowed, BB, opposing BA, and WHIP. Pitching wins ball games and with numbers like that Brad Mills and Houston Astros don't have a chance.

To add fuel to the fire the Houston Astros are rumored to be major sellers by the upcoming July 31 trade deadline. The team seems to be scrapping the season and rebuilding for the future.

Although manager Brad Mills was signed to a contract extension through 2013 last offseason expect him to be thrown by the wayside this winter.   

New York Mets: Terry Collins

Terry Collins is in his first season as skipper for the New York Mets. The team is an honest 46-45 thus far and have battled injuries. 

2011 is the first year since 1999 that manager Terry Collins has managed in the majors. New York City is a tall order for anyone and the Mets are a mess. 

The team is in financial problems and they began the fire sale on July 12 by dealing closer Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers. How is a team in the AL East supposed to finish games without a true closer? 

That was just one of many potential moves the New York Mets are rumored to make between now and the deadline.There are a lot of distractions in the Mets clubhouse right now. This is not shaping up to be the ball club that Collins agreed to manage when he took the job.

Look for Collins to step down as manager of the Mets in the offseason. 

Chicago White Sox: Ozzie Guillen

Ozzie Guillen has always been a spark plug. His mouth is the most electric in baseball and this year it will cost him. 

The White Sox are 44-48 heading into the second half, five games back of the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. The two teams play a pivotal three game series to open up the second half. Detroit has taken five-of-six from Chicago to this point. 

It is safe to say that the White Sox are underachieving to this point and it is manager Ozzie Guillen's job to fix their woes. Whether or not Guillen will right the ship in Chicago remains to be seen. 

Guillen has always had an interesting relationship with Chicago White Sox GM Ken Williams and I predict it will turn toxic in the last two months of the 2011 season.

Williams has made some questionable moves as GM of the White Sox. The acquisitions of Alex Rios and Adam Dunn by Williams in the last couple of seasons seems to be causing turmoil between the GM and Guillen. Rios is hitting .213 while Dunn just .160—the two men make a combined $24 million.

Expect Williams to save his own hide and for Guillen to be gone by 2012. 

Detroit Tigers: Jim Leyland

The Detroit Tigers sit tied on top of the AL Central.

To date the team has four players hitting above .300 and they have arguably the best pitcher in baseball this year. 

Despite the success many people are calling for Jim Leyland's job. Detroit Tigers fans have a love/hate relationship with the manager.

In his sixth season in Detroit, the 66 year old skipper is 473-430 with the club. Leyland took the Tigers from the basement to the World Series in 2006, his first year in Detroit. Since then it has been a bumpy ride in Detroit, the team is good on paper but continues to come up short of the playoffs. Detroit is 30 games under .500 in the second half since Leyland took the reins in '06.

Leyland consistently makes sketchy lineup decisions.Some days it seems that Leyland picks his lineup out of a hat.  Leyland seems to sit guys when they just seem to be getting hot, and makes unnecessary moves on the mound.  

Leyland's decisions are somewhat comical to Tigers fans at times, but many times maddening.

Look for the Tigers to buy a bat by the deadline. In the end this will not be enough and the Tigers will miss the chance at a championship yet again.

With his contract up at the end of the season—don't expect Jim Leyland to return to the Motor City.